


Apologies

by DaltonG



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 12:30:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8667772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaltonG/pseuds/DaltonG
Summary: Arthur is sorry.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Fandot Creativity Night prompt “apologies”

“Watch it!” Douglas scolded, as Arthur nearly tipped the hot coffee onto his lap.

“Sorry.”

“Where’s mine?”

“Sorry, Skip.” Arthur left the cockpit.

“Brian Eno!” Martin declared triumphantly

“I think you are hearkening back to ‘Brians of Britain’, Martin…”

“No, no, Brian *Eno*. People whose names sound like board games.”

“First of all, 'Eno’ sounds only the faintest bit like 'Uno’, and second, Uno is a card game.”

Martin made a frustrated noise. It was his fifth frustrated noise of the hour, and somehow all five had been noticeably different.

“Here you go, Skip.”

“No, Arthur, I didn’t want coffee, I wanted tea with two sugars and lemon.”

“Sorry Skip.”

Martin craned around to watch Arthur disappear through the door.

“Douglas, does he seem, unusually…”

“Yes, yes he does.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard him say anything other than 'Sorry’ all day. Should I…?”

“I’d think you better.”

Martin was alarmed to find Arthur in the galley, one hand gripping the tiny countertop, the other covering his face.

“Arthur, whatever is the matter?” He lifted his hand, almost touching Arthur’s back, and then dropped it back to his side.

“Nothing, Skip. Nothing at all. Sorry.” Arthur stood up straight, wiping his hand down his face, and it was clear he’d been crying.

Now Martin did put his hand on Arthur’s arm, though it was the lightest of touches. “Come, sit down.”

He guided the distraught young man to a seat in the cabin. It was a cargo flight today–usually an excuse for them to relax and be silly. But today, Arthur had seemed down, almost miserable, all day…and he kept saying “sorry”, even when he did something right.

“What’s wrong, Arthur?”

“Sorry, it’s nothing. Sorry to bother you.”

“You can stop apologizing–”

“Sorry!”

“Arthur.” Martin took Arthur’s chin in his hand and turned his face to look him in the eyes. “What happened?”

He used his stern voice, which worked somewhat on the stray cat that liked to dart into the house. At least, the cat’s ears would flicker towards him when he used it.

“There’s nothing…Dad didn’t mean…sorry,” Arthur finished as tears began again.

“What did your father do?” Martin could feel his hand clench with outrage and dropped Arthur’s chin.

“I may have accidentally mentioned that I fancy someone, when he asked who I’m seeing.”

“Why would that be a problem?”

“I may have said that it was someone I worked with.”

“Why…” Martin thought about it for a moment. Carolyn was his Mum. Arthur wouldn’t–no. And that left: Douglas, and himself.

“Arthur…did your dad say bad things because you told him you fancy a man?”

Arthur nodded miserably. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry about liking a man,” Martin said softly. “There are other people…in this company…who are gay. You aren’t the only one.”

Arthur looked up. “Mum’s not gay!”

“No, she’s not.”

“I don’t think Douglas is, he’s been married to women so often…”

“No…” Martin watched him patiently.

“You…?”

“Yes, me.”

“But…Skip…you’re the one I fancy. Sorry.”

“Arthur, I have a secret to tell you.”

“Yes, Skip?”

“I fancy you too.”

“I…I’m not sorry, about that. Not one bit!”


End file.
